A friend's friend pointed out that "This looks like the PC industry in the late 70's" (Edouard Roquette). I think this is a brilliant foresight.

In 2012 we have seen a number of Desktop 3D printers that promise to be quite cheap. If this trend continues (and it will), it won't be too long before desktop 3D printers become a commodity. Every home can have one.

The ecosystem around 3D printers is still nascent but with huge potential. I love what ShapeWays is doing. It's a marketplace for designers to get quick prototypes of their designs, and also sell their designs. Thingiverse is incredible - a place to find printable designs for real world.

I think what really made "PC" a commodity was the easy to use software. The mouse and the graphical user interface. That is how Apple and Microsoft changed the world.

I have an idea. What if we combine depth cameras with desktop 3D printers? What if you could design things on your computer by just moving your hands, and then have them created right away by your 3D printer? What if you could teach your kids to make things on computer instead of just paint them? What if you, a designer, could make designs by hand, like a sculpture? What if you could go to Ebay or Amazon, find something that you like and pay for it, and it gets printed on your desktop, instantly? What if?